Background: Though evidence is limited, animal products like pork sausages and cheese may affect satiety differently due to their distinct protein, fat, and calcium content. This study therefore compared their acute effects on breakfast using appetite-related markers.

Methods: A total of 11 women and 13 men, with a mean age of 23.0 +/- 2.6 years and mean BMI of 24.5 +/- 2.6 kg/m2, participated in this crossover design study. Concentrations of active ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), cholecystokinin (CCK), insulin, glucose, leptin, and blood lipids were measured. Subjective feelings of appetite using visual analogue scales were analyzed (0-4 h) as a response to two test breakfasts meals with a similar energy and macronutrient content. Appetite feelings and energy intake from an ad libitum buffet lunch were subsequently measured. Data were analyzed using two different ANOVA methods.

Results: The pork sausage breakfast was characterized by an earlier triglyceride (TG) peak than the cheese. A slower TG clearance was seen with the cheese breakfast. Ghrelin suppression was longer in the pork sausage breakfast. Active GLP-1 concentration was higher following the cheese breakfast and active GIP declined slower. The two ANOVA methods disagreed regarding the insulin effect. Subjective feelings of hunger before buffet and ad libitum energy intake were higher in males (791 +/- 64 kcal) compared with females (344 +/- 32 kcal), but did not differ between breakfast types.

Conclusions: Acute consumption of pork and cheese of the same energy, fat, and protein content provided detectable differences in appetite-related hormones and lipid responses. Appetite and lipid metabolism were affected by the major differentiators of the test meals, namely calcium, fatty acids and amino acids compositions.